Child Abuse Prevention Month: Building Stronger Families for a Thriving Community

Prevention Starts with All of Us

Johnson emphasizes that preventing child abuse is everyone’s responsibility.

“All of us play a role in preventing child abuse and neglect,” Johnson explains. “Every interaction you have with your child as you were raising him or her was your opportunity to help with the prevention of child abuse and neglect.”

The theme for this year’s Child Abuse Prevention Month is “Our Future Matters, Stronger Families, and Thriving Community.” This theme highlights how healthy children who can thrive become the foundation of successful communities.

“Children are our future,” Johnson notes. “Healthy children, successful children, children who are able to thrive are the ones who are going to make sure that our communities are successful.”

Free Resources Available

Fairfax County offers many free resources to help parents and caregivers, including:

• Parent Support Line: 703-324-7720
• Body Safety Program: Teaches children about appropriate interactions and how to stay safe
• Healthy Families Fairfax: Home visiting program supporting families from pregnancy through their child’s third birthday
• Neighborhood Networks Program: Provides support to families facing challenges
• Commonwealth Coordinated Care Services: Connects families with medically fragile children to services
• Parenting Education Program: Free classes in English and Spanish (virtual or in-person)
• Fatherhood Program: Classes specifically designed for fathers

The Parent Support Line

One of the most accessible resources is the Parent Support Line (703-324-7720). This service provides a judgment-free space for parents to ask questions, get help with resources, or simply talk about their challenges.

“The purpose of that line is to say to everyone, ‘If you’re having a bad day, you have a question, your child’s having a tantrum, you don’t know about the resources to offer, you could call,’” Johnson says.

Understanding Protective Factors

Johnson discusses protective factors, which are evidence-informed criteria that help families succeed. Though the term sounds formal, these factors are simply everyday supports that strengthen families.

“It sounds clunky, protective factor, but it’s really what so many of us do every day,” Johnson explains.

These protective factors include:

• Concrete supports: Having enough money for bills, food on the table, access to education and reliable childcare. “If we are stressed about paying the bills, then what does that look like in terms of supporting our children?” Johnson asks.
• Knowledge of parenting and child development: Understanding what to expect from children at different ages and how to respond appropriately. “Parenting is one of those things that often people are like, it doesn’t come with a manual, but actually it does. There are so many manuals. There are so many classes,” Johnson points out.
• Social connections: Having a community of support for both practical help and emotional validation. “It takes a village to raise a child. It is so, so, so true,” Johnson emphasizes. “There’s something about having a community that helps to validate your feelings... but also, what does it look like to have support? I need to run to the supermarket for a couple hours or run some errands. Who’s going to watch my child?”
• Parental resilience: Managing stress effectively and maintaining a positive attitude even on difficult days. Johnson notes, “As a human being, some days we have great days, some days not as great, and it’s just how do we manage our own feelings and emotions with the children.”

When families have these protective factors in place, they’re better equipped to handle challenges without resorting to harmful behaviors.

It’s OK to Ask for Help

Johnson stresses the importance of normalizing that it’s acceptable to seek assistance.

“In this time of social media where everybody’s ‘perfect,’ we want to normalize that actually everyone is not,” Johnson says. “One of the things we try to do within a prevention program is normalize that it’s okay to ask for help.”

How to Get Involved

Community members can support Child Abuse Prevention Month in several ways:

• Wear Blue Day is on April 4, 2025 (and the first Friday in April each year).
• Look for and plant pinwheel gardens throughout the county. Pinwheels are the national symbol for child abuse prevention. These colorful pinwheels symbolize the happy, healthy childhood that every child deserves. 
• Volunteer with parenting classes, the fatherhood program, or the Body Safety program.
• Donate resources or sponsor a family during holidays.
• Spread the word about available services.

For more information about Child Abuse Prevention Month, to access any of these resources, or to donate or volunteer, call the Parent Support Line at 703-324-7720 or visit the Child Abuse Prevention Month webpage.

The County Conversation Podcast

The “County Conversation” is a podcast featuring employees and subject matter experts from the Fairfax County Government discussing programs, services and items of interest to residents of Fairfax County. Listen to past episodes of “County Conversation.” To find other county podcasts, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts.